FX.co ★ Japanese Shares Gain for Second Session

The Nikkei 225 Index advanced by 0.6% to surpass the 50,100 mark on Thursday, building on the previous session's gains. This upward movement was influenced by a positive performance on Wall Street, fueled by speculation that the US Federal Reserve might implement a rate cut in December. Investor sentiment received a boost following weaker-than-expected private payroll data in the US, heightening concerns over a potential slowdown in the US labor market. Domestically, caution remained in the air as market participants speculated about a possible interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan this month. Governor Kazuo Ueda indicated that the central bank would evaluate the advantages and disadvantages before making a decision. The technology sector spearheaded the market rally, with significant gains observed in SoftBank Group (up 2.9%), Lasertec (up 1.7%), Kioxia Holdings (up 1.2%), Disco Corp (up 3.1%), and Tokyo Electron (up 1.7%).